Diversity and inclusion training is essential for new employees at any business. However, it’s especially vital if you work in an environment where you interact with people from different cultures, religions, or backgrounds. Such training is often required by human resources departments. It can help prevent workplace discrimination and enhance communication among coworkers who may not have previously known each other well.

If you haven’t done so already, here are a few tips on starting a diversity and inclusion course at your workplace for new recruits.

#1 Find a Qualified Instructor

Get in touch with an instructor who holds a diversity coaching certification. You could also have someone from the HR team get this diversity training certification and then ask them to conduct the course. In addition to finding someone qualified, you should look for an instructor with strong leadership capabilities. This person should be able to show you how to foster a more inclusive environment in your workplace and make sure everyone feels like they’re being treated fairly.

Besides credentials, it would be better if the instructor is experienced in teaching about diversity and inclusion issues. It’s also helpful if they’ve worked with people from different backgrounds, as this will help them understand different perspectives. That will help students understand why it’s necessary to be inclusive of everyone around them at work.

#2 Avoid Boring Lectures or Presentations

Your training will be no good for your new employees if it’s boring, too long, or fails to address their needs. If you’re delivering a presentation with slides in the room or reading from a script on the screen, don’t expect attendees to pay attention or retain much of what they hear and see. Instead, allow them to ask questions and participate in discussions during the session by asking them what they’d like covered in this portion of your training program.

#3 Focus on Specific Topics

While it’s necessary to keep your course focused on specific topics, you should also ensure that you’re highlighting the most vital issues. For example, if your company has a history of not hiring people from diverse backgrounds, this topic would be one of your main focuses. However, if there is no specific issue or problem within the workplace regarding diversity and inclusion, it’s okay to focus less on these topics.

You should structure your course so that it addresses certain topics as well as general ones. Plan the course outline by listing the most talked about issues in your community surrounding diversity. Understanding different cultures, races, ethnicities, genders, etc., should also be an integral part of the course.

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#4 Plan for Group Interactions and Role-Playing Situations

One of the most important things you can do in a diversity and inclusion course includes role-playing scenarios. These can help your employees learn to interact with each other in ways that are respectful and considerate. For example, role-playing can help employees practice how to resolve conflicts by communicating their feelings calmly and clearly without being aggressive or hurtful. It’s also an excellent way to help them understand other people’s perspectives on sensitive topics such as race, religion, and politics.

Role-playing is a great way to teach employees about appropriate workplace behavior because it forces them to think about how their words affect others. It also allows them to practice communicating respectfully with one another.

#5 Encourage Questions and Discussions

Asking questions is a powerful way to learn, especially when the instructor is an expert on the subject matter and can help you navigate difficult topics. If one student asks a question that strikes you as odd or off-topic, don’t be afraid to join in the conversation. You might discover something new.

You can also use this opportunity to discuss questions you may have about what’s being covered in class and whether or not the employees understand them.

Encourage the employees to go through additional material on diversity and inclusion outside their course outline. Since they are already working full-time or part-time, they will, of course, have trouble with timings. So, make things easier for them by suggesting short YouTube videos as that’s a more approachable way for them to learn.

#6 Keep the Class Interactive

You will want to keep the class interactive and use hands-on examples to keep everyone engaged. Use real-life examples, case studies, group discussions, role-playing, simulation, and games. You can also use interactive activities like hands-on demonstrations or practical demonstrations.

Another good way to engage your audience is by having a combination of these techniques throughout your course, as well as some hands-on activities. Here, you can have employees working together in small groups or pairs to understand how a lack of diversity in the workplace can be harmful.

#7 Ask for Feedback

When you end your course, ask participants to share their thoughts on what they learned and how they think it could be improved. This is an opportunity for them to provide feedback on the content of your course but also gives you a chance to improve as an instructor.

This final step will help improve future courses by giving insight into what works well and what doesn’t work well in your course. It can also help the organization as a whole because if something is missing from the training material, there’s a way for people within the company to rectify it.

Diversity and inclusion training is a great way to make new hires feel welcome, and it’s also a great way to foster long-term productivity by increasing office communications. Employers who want their employees to be more productive should consider adding diversity and inclusion courses as part of the onboarding process.